how many amino acids can be made from the following tRNA strands:CGAGGUCGAAGC

Question

how many amino acids can be made from this strands CGAGGUCGAAGC

Answer 1

I think either the question has a typo or it was missed in another answer. As printed, the question asks about a tRNA; therefore we're looking for an anticodon. 

 

If the tRNA reading is correct, then any grouping of 3 could be an anticodon; you would want to find a codon table such as:
https://rbssbiology11ilos.wikispaces.com/Codon+Table

and then look for REVERSE COMPLEMENT (remember DNA and RNA strands pair in opposite directions). In other words, the first 3 nucleotides of the given sequence

 

CGA

would be READ by a strand of sequence

UCG

 

If the question was meant as mRNA, then you need to consider that it could be read in any of 3 reading frames (i.e. the first codon could be the any of these:

 

CGAGG

CGAGG

CGAGG

 

 

A lot here depends on the intent of the asker; always make sure you fully understand a question before you start to answer... especially on an exam!

Answer 2

Jonathan,

 

mRNA sequence is translated into protein where amino acids are picked up based on mRNA sequence.

 

Individual tRNAs carry each amino acid, each tRNA is specific for one amino acid only.

 

This 12 nucleotide sequence encodes for 4 amino acids if it is an mRNA.

 

Since code is degenerate, it might encode for more than 4 amino acids, but that would only happen if the sequence is mRNA.

 

Hope this is clear, if you need further explanation then please post again/

 

Best